Cops arrested

Main Stories, National
Source:

The National, Tuesday 02nd April, 2013

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
FOUR Mendi-based police­men were arrested last Thurs­day by colleagues in Western Highlands for allegedly escorting a large shipment li­quor to Southern Highlands where alcohol trading is banned.
Those arrested were a first consta­ble and three probationary officers.
All were in police uniform and carrying a police issue firearm.
Assistant deputy police commissioner Teddy Tei said: “These stupid policemen give a bad name to
other hard working policemen and women in the province.”
The four were refused bail and are detained at the Mt Hagen police cells.
Tei promised they would pay a high price if found guilty.

The four were travelling in a private vehicle last Thursday and were apprehended at Parabuk Bible College in the Nebilyer district.
Western Highlands police commander Supt Martin Lakari said he sent members of the liquor squad and a section of mobile squad after a pastor at the college became suspicious of the truck which had stopped there, with gravel on the top.
Lakari said villagers there also became suspicious and searched the truck.
They discovered more than 500
cartons of Export Lager and dark rum hidden under a canvas covered with gravel.
The villagers removed some of the cartons and were drunk when police arrived.
Lakari said the truck went into the college apparently to wait for the police escort vehicle to escort it through two liquor check-points at Wara Kagul and Kaupena.
“My men were at the college when these policemen arrived.
“When they asked them, they said they were there to escort the truck.
“The owner of the truck had told them that his truck carrying bags of kaukau was looted at Parabuk,” Lakari said.
They told the policemen driving a 10-seater Landcruiser to escort the truck to Mt Hagen police station.
Lakari said they also confiscated four cartons of Export and eight cartons of rum from the people.
He said the four officers would be dealt with.
Tei ordered the policemen and two civilians to be locked in the cell and were refused bail.
“I can’t understand why policemen, who are supposed to implement the liquor ban in the province, try to help
other people smuggle liquor using their positions and state property like firearm.”
Liquor had been banned in Southern Highlands and Hela for the past three years.